Chapter 180: Background

At this moment, there was also a pile of black ashes on the stone platform in front of him, indicating his first attempt had also failed.

The gray-robed boy ignored the angry glances, a cold smile on his lips, and suddenly threw the last batch of herbs from the table into the cauldron.

A faint laughter echoed in the square, "It seems that this round, I'm ahead. I guess the alchemists of the Jia Ma Empire aren't all that impressive."

While speaking, the gray-robed boy's hands never slowed in speed. One herb after another was swiftly refined in the flames. From the look of confidence on his face, it seemed he had figured out the cause of his previous failure.

The crowd gritted their teeth in anger but had no solution.

They hadn't even figured out the root of the problem yet.

"Oh, is that so?" At this moment, a calm and ethereal voice sounded.

Bang!

Following that, there was another light, dull sound.

The gray-robed boy and everyone else looked over.

Beneath Xian'er's cauldron, there were also some black ashes scattered.

The gray-robed boy's blue eyes narrowed slightly.

Xian'er chuckled softly, her hands forming a seal.

Immediately, eight herbs almost simultaneously floated up and were then thrown into the cauldron all at once.

Yes, eight herbs, refined together.

Of a set of nine herbs, one had been excluded by her.

In the somewhat small crimson cauldron, eight deep red little suns floated, slowly rotating.

Inside the little suns, the herbs wrapped in flames twisted rapidly and were burned away, leaving only the essence.

The gray-robed boy's pupils shrank instantly, his arrogant expression froze, and a trace of seriousness flashed deep in his eyes.

He immediately understood that this beautiful girl in white with hair like a fairy had also found the root of the problem.

Moreover, the fire-controlling technique used by Xian'er was something he coveted and admired intensely.

It even aroused more desire than the pill formula for the Rongling Pill.

Xian'er's deliberate act of refining only eight herbs publicly was intended to give the alchemists present a hint.

Xiao Yan's eyes lit up, a gleam of understanding passing through them. Having vaguely discovered the problem, he instantly grasped it.

He laughed coldly, his calm voice also echoing in the square, "Ahead? That's not necessarily true."

Xiao Yan suddenly turned around, waved his palm, and after removing one herb from the last batch on the table, threw the remaining eight into the cauldron.

Boom~

Purple flames roared up, enveloping the eight herbs. He also chose to refine eight herbs at once.

Roar~

Within the cauldron, the purple flames faintly emitted a series of light dragon roars.

Amidst the writhing purple flames, eight small fire dragons appeared. They opened their mouths and swallowed the eight herbs.

The herbs twisted and were swiftly incinerated and refined within the bellies of the purple dragons. Ashes from herbal residues were expelled from the dragon tails.

The gray-robed boy's pupils shrank once more.

Another profound fire-controlling technique!

...

"This kind of fire-controlling technique!"

In the square, whether among the contestants, spectators, or those in the VIP seats, all were shocked as they watched the eight winding and lively purple fire dragons in front of Xiao Yan's cauldron.

Then they looked at Xian'er's cauldron, where eight deep red suns rotated slowly along a mysterious trajectory, and they inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity.

These two fire-controlling techniques seemed to bear a four-to-five tenths resemblance.

"Oh, Yao Lao actually taught the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique to Xiao Yan?" Wei Yang was somewhat surprised.

In the original story, Yao Lao had never taught this fire-controlling technique.

In fact, due to power limitations in the earlier periods, Yao Lao hadn't passed on any profound fire-controlling techniques to Xiao Yan.

The most advanced fire-controlling technique Xiao Yan used in the mid-early periods was the Five-Wheel Leave Fire Technique taught by Venerable Tianhuo, during the Dou Wang stage.

By that time, Yao Lao had already been captured by the protectors of the Soul Palace.

It seems my presence has already changed some things.

Could it be that Yao Lao was spurred on by Wei Yang?

Of course, at this point due to his power and time constraints, Xiao Yan had only practiced the Nine Dragons Fire Control Technique at a basic level; it had form but not spirit.

However, with this card suddenly played by Xiao Yan for refining a mere third-grade Wind-Breaking Pill, it was more than sufficient.

"Wei Yang, the fire-controlling technique Xiao Yan used?" Fa Ma's gaze held inquisitiveness.

The big shots were also curiously looking.

Comparing the simultaneous alchemy by Xian'er and Xiao Yan live, it was easy to tell that these two fire-control techniques had many similarities in numerous aspects.

"Do you remember who I listed as my mentor?" Wei Yang asked with a smile.

After recalling for a moment, Qi Mi'er said, "In the mentor column, you filled in the name Yao Lao."

"Correct." Wei Yang nodded.

"Yao Lao?" The big shots frowned in thought, murmuring the name but then shook their heads.

None of them had heard of that name.

But since he could be Wei Yang's mentor, he must be at least an alchemy master.

Only Chairman Jia Ma slightly frowned, feeling an uncanny familiarity with the name, but couldn't recall why.

In the distance, the president of the Black Rock City branch, Otto, raised his hand weakly, "Uh, President, Vice President, Xiao Yan took his alchemist certification in my branch in Black Rock City..."

"Oh?" Everyone turned to look at him.

Including Ya Fei, Nalan Yanran, and others, all looked over with curiosity.

Otto swallowed and said quietly, "On Xiao Yan's file, the mentor's name is also filled as Yao Lao."

"Ah?" Everyone was initially stunned, then realized, and turned their gaze back to Wei Yang.

Wei Yang smiled, nodded in confirmation, and said, "My mentor and Xiao Yan's mentor are indeed one and the same. So Xiao Yan counts as my junior."

"I see, no wonder." Now everyone understood.

No wonder the seemingly indifferent Wei Yang uncharacteristically treated Xiao Yan so well.

Wei Yang, at this moment, with a glance that seemed deliberate or not, looked at Nalan Yanran and said, "Strictly speaking, I'm only a disciple outside the inner circle, while Xiao Yan is the true direct disciple!"

Sss~

Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but take a sharp breath.

For Wei Yang to be just an outside disciple?

Unthinkable!

How formidable, then, must be this predecessor called Yao Lao? And wasn't his standard way too high?!

They looked at the black-clad, handsome young man on the field, eyes full of envy.

It turns out he has such a solid backing!

Meanwhile, some looked mockingly at Nalan Jie.

Nalan Jie, who had been eavesdropping on the big shots' conversation, felt his face twitch, looking even darker upon noticing those looks.

He too had a touch of bitterness in his heart.

Saying he doesn't regret it would be a lie.

Beside him, Ya Fei's eyes shone, sparkling with various lights.

Unexpectedly, the shy young man she met three years ago had such a profound backing.

Terrifying!

Having not only a mysterious and powerful teacher but also an influential senior brother like Wei Yang, Xiao Yan could move freely within the Jia Ma Empire.

Who would dare show disrespect?

"Xiao Yan…" Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes were fixed on the black-clad young man concentrating on refining medicine in the square, her delicate hands gradually tightening.

Her expression was quite complex.

That young man who shouted, "Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west" back then...

Regret?

No!

Quickly, her gaze turned firm once more.

"I, Nalan Yanran, will decide my own future!" she declared in a low but determined voice.